New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-04
NJ USIC.
THE NEW OPERA.


Carl Goldrnarks new opera "Mern" which Is also the
latest Vienna novelty performed for the first time
outside OF the Austrian capital at the Metropolitan Opera
House last night II was witnessed by numerous audi
ence who pronounced on It sort OF Scotch verdict
The dramatic machinery OF " Merlin has already been
sufficiently described in this journal and we need not re-
cur 70 It. words its merits and defects and
will arrive at the work Of Herr GOldmark Herr LIP
book is better than the average opera bretto as
literature But the true dramatic fire does not burn
steadily in It. It's ingenuity displayed hest In the con-
sruchon smooth sinenble lines and In the invention
OF scenic effects OF purely external character-that s
effects OF little moment in the development OF the poet
Teal idea has made the foundation OF of his
sion Of the romance OF Meriin's enchantment. The
transformations OF tho second act do not grow
out OF any dramatic necessity. but simply because
a ballet with brilliant surroundings Is a conventional and
acceptable feature of In which magic plays
part II this not already obvious from study Of
the book Mr. Van He'll would have made it agranty so
by his departure from the authors stage directions for
the sake Of adding still another transformation. Herr
pner placed the first OF the second act In Hers
garden which afforded distant view OF the As 1t
has mounted at the Metropolitan the first scene Is
on the and there Is complete transformation
OF the scene with the first weaving Of the charm which
IN book only summoned the spirits Of air. EARTH water
to trip measure for the diversion OF Vicien The simple
picture described IN the book with small ornate temple
In the foreground situated that when its door flies back
in answer TO Virieas Open sesame" Merts altar and
the magical veil would be disclosed would have been for
the purposes OF the drama much effective than the
laborously constructed here IN which the temple
is replaced by n cottage. which, when the is
changed by sudden Tor what should be sudden
transformation appears with roses while the
normal foliage OF the first gives place to plants anu
blossoms OF growth aud fantastic forms soon
this must again give way 10 rocky barren, and this
waste In the next act is obliged suffer still another
landscape, which taxes severely the department
OF the Metropolitan that il not strong, Is that
the first act IL difficult 10 look at the opera other
than n fairy eXtravaganzaa circumstance which may
lac appropriate. Ia the holiday panorpme season Dut
which statctly digcs an OpetS on when men Win lhc
talent Of Herr Lpiner and Herr Goldmaik have CON
ie.sedIy labOred ienyfars.
We have already called attention the fact that the
Demon II lifted into position OF frat Importance In the
drama. sharing 1t with N,i'n and Itr1h ArldW AID
his knights. Lceoi, Cdcain. Gle'doSer aud even tho
con-raiors Sr Bedrce I'VE nse the familiar EnSlisn
names In preference To the German forns and HURT
all OF the colorless opera he type They wear bne
clothes. take prominent positions Oh The stage indulge 10
q nodicum ~ acton and on few occasions participate
briefly IN the dialogue But they but feeble dramatic
virtue oi tho combined tle nj Of Herr GO1mark and herr
Rohin5on. full brother 10 tie Solomon OF the earlier
Tue most successful effort IN characterization
made by both book writer and composer IN the case OF
sinishIe TortanaIely too a fpost admiraby equipped
Lehmain. Those who have once seen her I'm
part except IN the eubodiuent which this richly gifted
aud versatile artist it. The lines were plainly
enough drawn IN the work. but Fr4uelu Lehnlann eI-
tended and yitaEed thsu-
Herr GOldmaIk's new music IL more likely TO call out
swcrpiug criticism than that Of The queen oi hheba
IL also likely ~ Inc treated with noIe Injustice.
critic who arms , li1s.f win tho, tho score
sending its heavy, projeetles into tais score.
Will suffice But this style OF criticism Is ssortaghted.
Had always been used In the past neither Verdi nor
backs There are planets and there are sateltes;
aud the latter are INTERESTING even beautiful
sSsSGna On i'S OF ten s I1as to ans
pAn enough that frequently Goldmark In this
his natural element More strtIngly than
Dsracli IA literature he In music an Oriental He has
dences and th"sr char tsrstic instrniueptS oombsa
tios which have come ~ associate with the Orient
IL Would be foolish to deny this fact, aud equally
foolish to deny that in his dilemma he forgets
to extent that II Is difficult To forgive tle dlierene
fragrant going To ideas TO Instrumental effects aud 10
modes o. rcatm Mt The musical climax OF the second
plainly constructed after the duet Tristan. this
fact Challenges compai son. aud Godmarks music, with
its ARTIFICIAL and superficial passion. which when |
is SO remarkably well sung by FriuIen Lehman and |
Herr Alyy falls woully short OF It's model de Is not
happy always IN his invention and among his melodies
there is disseminating amount OF the commonplace and
threadbare. Yet occasionally ho adapts unpromislng
ideus TO his purposes with charming effect. |
yiciefs hunting song in the nrst ,, act is |
any number of German foksongs hut serves
lie dramatic purpose (which Is 10 deineate lreHs char
meter at sweeping stroke and 10 eot new phase OF
life into the action, which was In danger or running
out Into an excess OF the sentnentally heIocl
capltally. The much-abused device OF typical
phrases Godmark handles amateurishly Here
l. the highest form OF meodic inyentiveness has
fullest play and tiodmark has scarcely been successful
single instance HIS orchestra. prelude Is iaborousiy
hu up phrase which stands for the evil principle OF
the drama but which should have been permitted to
stand Tor any thing for the sufficient reasons that Is
neither beautiful, nor expressive, nor cnafac
tcrstc in itself and the composer. with all his striving
does not make II effective III either SGnse Inc fountain
from which Gudmark drew his melodies was neither
fresh nor hmpld In u word. " Merlin a" is not great
work not even Queen OF Sheba. but 1t Is worth per-
forming worth hearing and deserving or respectful treat
meut al the hands OF critics and public lal will not
him In the place In which The Queen Of sheba" seemed
place him. the only successful German operate
composer.
lie decorative outfit OF the opera the representation
last night remarkably tine. The fact that the trans
He'd III fancying they would be from pertsa OF the
ibretto clovery paaphsed, by the way. ~ NJ Gustav
of the Metropolitan stage, which was not
constructed with view 10 the needs OF SO ambitious
spectacle The performance far IA the singers and
msciris were concerned, went smoothly under the ID,
rectibn OF Mr. Walter j. Damrosch As was intimaied
IF the characters are so uninleresting that It
would not be worth while TO discuss how
appended cast give ali needn guarantee that the music
was well sung OF Friulyin Lehman We have spoken
could a fnc success So TOO, and Herr
Robinson The public showed interest and manifested
sarmy the rst act teF Which Mr. Danoscn and ~ ths
cadng singers were recalled to receive the publlcs
acknowledgements. The cast was as follows:
III i. 5i$"a H ssF il s'i 4s::$
Nri%c Fri i herr l Ahy,y
Bewyo knight. Herr v. Milde
Gsendower. s,eslts
Fischer
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